xONE pricing up
May 5, 2009, 1:35 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: QFF
Posts: 5,304
It's nice that they got rid of the seasonality ex-AU, but I'm disappointed that they used the high season price. I'd have rathered they used a new price. Maybe the low season price+60ish% of the difference from high season.
With the new increases, I might have to reconsider any travel plans I might have had for next year.
I was reconsidering doing another xONE4 this year (after a L#GLOB** in 06 and LONE4s in 07 and 08) after the AUD fell 30% in 2 weeks just after I got home last September, but then the dollar started going up again and they had the 10% discount.
Then again, I've been leaving in high season for the past 3 years anyway... (I just wish I could afford more then 1 LONE4 per year)
With the new increases, I might have to reconsider any travel plans I might have had for next year.
I was reconsidering doing another xONE4 this year (after a L#GLOB** in 06 and LONE4s in 07 and 08) after the AUD fell 30% in 2 weeks just after I got home last September, but then the dollar started going up again and they had the 10% discount.
Then again, I've been leaving in high season for the past 3 years anyway... (I just wish I could afford more then 1 LONE4 per year)
May 6, 2009, 6:13 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
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OTOH, if you use AONEx tix as cost savers to hit a single destination in Asia (as I do), you also now have to consider seriously the SQ FEZSQ fare, at USD$7,144 AI ex-US. Much less flexibility than an AONEx, but, as I said, if you're only going to one destination, saves a lot of money, not to mention the extra day flying to JNB to get the cost down to USD$8,700++. After most recent increase, AONE3 ex-US is USD$11,600++.
May 8, 2009, 8:21 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: People's Republic of HotTubistan
Posts: 1,408
OTOH, if you use AONEx tix as cost savers to hit a single destination in Asia (as I do), you also now have to consider seriously the SQ FEZSQ fare, at USD$7,144 AI ex-US. Much less flexibility than an AONEx, but, as I said, if you're only going to one destination, saves a lot of money, not to mention the extra day flying to JNB to get the cost down to USD$8,700++. After most recent increase, AONE3 ex-US is USD$11,600++.
And, no ten-day minimum stay, either (although you can work around that by nesting consecutive AONExs).
The best AONE3 I can find right now, for southeast Asia, is the US$8198 ex Indonesia, which works well inside the FEZSQ fare, so long as the two trips take place within the three months' validity of the SQ fare.
May 9, 2009, 6:34 am
#20
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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Yup -- I think you're on to something with this strategy. Even if you buy a domestic First Class ticket across the USA (in order to close the SQ RTW gap) at, say US$985 or so one way on VX, AA, or UA, the total is still $8100 -- far less than the *A or OneWorld RTWs in First.
May 10, 2009, 10:19 am
#22
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF Lifetime SG, LH HON, OZ Lifetime Diamond +, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 14,375
I disagree. This was one of the best bargains in the sky. As I've said in other posts, I absolutely cannot figure out how they made money on my typical AONE3, coming in around USD$6K++. I'm surprised that the fares stayed as low as they did for as long as they did.
Even after this most recent increase, it's still a bargain. Even assuming no attempts to maximize mileage, an itinerary like JNB-HKG-LAX-DFW-BOS-LAX-LHR-JNB for USD$8K in F? Try pricing, say, JFK-LHR-JFK in F and see what it costs. AA.com is telling me that it will be nearly USD$9K.
Even after this most recent increase, it's still a bargain. Even assuming no attempts to maximize mileage, an itinerary like JNB-HKG-LAX-DFW-BOS-LAX-LHR-JNB for USD$8K in F? Try pricing, say, JFK-LHR-JFK in F and see what it costs. AA.com is telling me that it will be nearly USD$9K.
I can fly from SYD to LAX and the on to LHR via FRA then BKK back to SYD with the LH segments in F for less than US$7k. An AONE4 would cost almost double that. Star Alliance has priced their RTW product ex Australia in a way that it has become un-usable. And OW is on its way to do the same thing.
May 10, 2009, 12:00 pm
#23
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: People's Republic of HotTubistan
Posts: 1,408
I can fly from SYD to LAX and the on to LHR via FRA then BKK back to SYD with the LH segments in F for less than US$7k. An AONE4 would cost almost double that. Star Alliance has priced their RTW product ex Australia in a way that it has become un-usable. And OW is on its way to do the same thing.
If you can put together such a trip using "normal" fares, and in F, not J, tell us more! I completely agree that the Alliance RTW fares have now been overpriced, relative to what we can piece together -- at least on SQ and MH.
May 10, 2009, 5:47 pm
#24
Moderator: Asiana & Qantas Frequent Flyer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: STR/SYD/SMF
Programs: QF Lifetime SG, LH HON, OZ Lifetime Diamond +, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 14,375
Is that an itinerary one can build without using upgrades, or holding for waitlists to clear (i.e. off a lower booking class)?
If you can put together such a trip using "normal" fares, and in F, not J, tell us more! I completely agree that the Alliance RTW fares have now been overpriced, relative to what we can piece together -- at least on SQ and MH.
If you can put together such a trip using "normal" fares, and in F, not J, tell us more! I completely agree that the Alliance RTW fares have now been overpriced, relative to what we can piece together -- at least on SQ and MH.
May 11, 2009, 4:38 am
#26
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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It is the infamous "mini" RTW LH fare ex Australia (and thats not 100% correct as you can also use it as a non RTW). Its a mix class fare with the UA and TG legs in C (TG doesn't offer F to here anymore). As the C bit books into Z waitlists were a problem but not anymore. The F sectors book into A and there has never been a waiting list for me.
May 13, 2009, 7:04 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,639
OTOH, if you use AONEx tix as cost savers to hit a single destination in Asia (as I do), you also now have to consider seriously the SQ FEZSQ fare, at USD$7,144 AI ex-US. Much less flexibility than an AONEx, but, as I said, if you're only going to one destination, saves a lot of money, not to mention the extra day flying to JNB to get the cost down to USD$8,700++. After most recent increase, AONE3 ex-US is USD$11,600++.
